IP network and admission control method used therefor

Abstract

The access network manager terminal 5 makes a communication quality agreement with the core network manager terminal 3 , the core network manager terminal 3 conducts resource assignment of the core network 100 based on the communication agreement, notifies the access network manager terminal 5 of password information of the assigned resource and notifies the edge router 1 a of password authentication information. The user terminal 4 a communicates a password sent from the access network manager terminal 5 in response to a resource use permission request as being contained in a header of a packet and the edge router 1 a authenticates the password of the packet based on the password authentication information.

1. An IP network which maintains contracted communication quality at the time when a user terminal conducts communication through a core network based on a communication quality service level agreement made between an access network manager terminal for managing an access network to which said user terminal is connected and a core network manager terminal for managing said core network including an edge router and a core router, wherein
 said core network manager terminal includes means for notifying said access network manager terminal of password information for generating a password for the reception of service based on said communication quality service level agreement, 
 at the time of the user terminal making said service request, said user terminal notifies said access network manager terminal of a communication period for said service request, 
 said access network manager terminal determines whether there is a free resource during said communication period based on resource reservation conditions, 
 said access network manager terminal includes means for i) generating a password based on said password information received from said core network manager and ii) transmitting the generated password to said user terminal when receiving from said user terminal a service request indicative of the intention of conducting communication having the contracted communication quality, and 
 said user terminal includes means for conducting communication with said edge router by transmitting a packet to said edge router with said password contained in a packet header of said packet. 
 
     
     
       2. The IP network as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said user terminal conducts communication with a communication period contained in said password in which period communication is possible having said contracted communication quality. 
 
     
     
       3. The IP network as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said edge router includes: 
 means for authenticating rightfulness of the password contained in said packet header, and 
 means for providing service of said contracted communication quality when determination is made by the authentication that the password is right. 
 
     
     
       4. The IP network as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said access network manager terminal makes a charge based on a requested communication quality class, a communication period and a communication rate contained in a service request from said user terminal. 
 
     
     
       5. The IP network as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said access network manager terminal includes means for generating a password based on said password information and transmitting the same when receiving from said user terminal a service request indicative of the intention of conducting communication having the contracted communication quality, 
 said user terminal includes means for conducting communication with said password contained in a packet header, and 
 said access network manager terminal makes a charge based on a requested communication quality class, a communication period and a communication rate contained in the service request from said user terminal. 
 
     
     
       6. The IP network as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said password information includes ciphering key information for ciphering a password, 
 said core network manager terminal notifies said edge router of cipher decoding key information for decoding a password, 
 said access network manager terminal ciphers said password to be notified to said user terminal, and 
 said edge router decodes said password contained in said packet header to conduct authentication. 
 
     
     
       7. The IP network as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said access network manager terminal includes means for generating a password based on said password information and transmitting the same when receiving from said user terminal a service request indicative of the intention of conducting communication having the contracted communication quality, 
 said user terminal includes means for conducting communication with said password contained in a packet header, 
 said password information includes ciphering key information for ciphering a password, 
 said core network manager terminal notifies said edge router of cipher decoding key information for decoding a password, 
 said access network manager terminal ciphers said password to be notified to said user terminal, and 
 said edge router decodes said password contained in said packet header to conduct authentication. 
 
     
     
       8. The IP network as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said user terminal notifies said access network manager terminal of flow identification information at the time of making said service request, 
 said access network manager terminal notifies said password with said flow identification information contained, and 
 said edge router provides service without password authentication of a packet coincident with said flow identification information during a period of validity of said password. 
 
     
     
       9. The IP network as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said access network manager terminal includes means for generating a password based on said password information and transmitting the same when receiving from said user terminal a service request indicative of the intention of conducting communication having the contracted communication quality, 
 said user terminal includes means for conducting communication with said password contained in a packet header, 
 said user terminal notifies said access network manager terminal of flow identification information at the time of making said service request, 
 said access network manager terminal notifies said password with said flow identification information contained, and 
 said edge router provides service without password authentication of a packet coincident with said flow identification information during a period of validity of said password. 
 
     
     
       10. The IP network as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said user terminal notifies said access network manager terminal of flow identification information at the time of making said service request, 
 after receiving said service request, said access network manager terminal notifies said password with said flow identification information and said communication rate contained therein to the user terminal, and 
 said edge router publishes a packet coincident with said flow identification information at said communication rate. 
 
     
     
       11. The IP network as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said access network manager terminal includes means for generating a password based on said password information and transmitting the same when receiving from said user terminal a service request indicative of the intention of conducting communication having the contracted communication quality, 
 said user terminal includes means for conducting communication with said password contained in a packet header, 
 said user terminal notifies said access network manager terminal of flow identification information at the time of making said service request, 
 said access network manager terminal notifies said password with said flow identification information and said communication rate contained, and 
 said edge router publishes a packet coincident with said flow identification information at said communication rate. 
 
     
     
       12. The IP network as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said access network manager terminal includes means for generating a password based on said password information and transmitting the same when receiving from said user terminal a service request indicative of the intention of conducting communication having the contracted communication quality, 
 said user terminal includes means for conducting communication with said password contained in a packet header, 
 said user terminal notifies said access network manager terminal of a communication period at the time of making said service request, and 
 said access network manager terminal determines whether there is a free resource during said communication period based on resource reservation conditions. 
 
     
     
       13. The IP network as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 at the time of notifying said user terminal of said password, said access network manager terminal notifies through which edge router a packet of a session which receives service should pass. 
 
     
     
       14. The IP network as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said access network manager terminal includes means for generating a password based on said password information and transmitting the same when receiving from said user terminal a service request indicative of the intention of conducting communication having the contracted communication quality, 
 said user terminal includes means for conducting communication with said password contained in a packet header, and 
 at the time of notifying said user terminal of said password, said access network manager terminal notifies through which edge router a packet of a session which receives service should pass. 
 
     
     
       15. An admission control method of an IP network which maintains contracted communication quality at the time when a user terminal conducts communication through a core network based on a communication quality service level agreement made between an access network manager terminal for managing an access network to which said user terminal is connected and a core network manager terminal for managing said core network including an edge router and a core router, wherein,
 said core network manager terminal includes a step of notifying said access network manager terminal of password information for generating a password for the reception of service based on said communication quality service level agreement, 
 said access network manager terminal includes the step of generating a password based on said password information and transmitting the same when receiving from said user terminal a service request indicative of the intention of conducting communication having the contracted communication quality, 
 said user terminal includes the step of conducting communication with said password contained in a packet header, 
 a communication period is notified to said access network manager terminal at the time of said service request made by said user terminal, and 
 said access network manager terminal determines whether there is a free resource during said communication period based on resource reservation conditions. 
 
     
     
       16. The admission control method as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein
 communication is conducted with a communication period contained in said password from said user terminal to said edge router in which period communication is possible having said contracted communication quality. 
 
     
     
       17. The admission control method as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein
 said edge router includes the steps of: 
 authenticating rightfulness of the password contained in said packet header, and 
 providing service of said contracted communication quality when determination is made by the authentication that the password is right. 
 
     
     
       18. The admission control method as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein
 said access network manager terminal makes a charge based on a requested communication quality class, a communication period and a communication rate contained in a service request from said user terminal. 
 
     
     
       19. The admission control method as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein
 said password information includes ciphering key information for ciphering a password, 
 said core network manager terminal notifies said edge router of cipher decoding key information for decoding a password, 
 said access network manager terminal ciphers said password to be notified to said user terminal, and 
 said edge router decodes said password contained in said packet header to conduct authentication. 
 
     
     
       20. The admission control method as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein
 flow identification information is notified to said access network manager terminal at the time of said service request made by said user terminal, 
 said password from said access network manager terminal to said user terminal is notified with said flow identification information contained, and 
 service is provided by said edge router without password authentication of a packet coincident with said flow identification information during a period of validity of said password. 
 
     
     
       21. The admission control method as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein
 flow identification information is notified to said access network manager terminal at the time of said service request made by said user terminal, 
 said password from said access network manager terminal to said user terminal is notified with said flow identification information and said communication rate contained, and 
 said edge router publishes a packet coincident with said flow identification information at said communication rate. 
 
     
     
       22. The admission control method as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein
 at the time of notifying said user terminal of said password by said access network manager terminal, through which edge router a packet of a session which receives service should pass is notified.